Determination of Conservation Practice Factor (P) of the ‘USLE’ for Different Conservation Practices in Dryland Region of Maharashtra

Field trials were conducted at Dry Farming Research Station, Solapur for determination of conservation practice factor (P) of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The four treatments were vegetative barriers (Leucaena leucocephala), tied ridges, ridges and furrows and cultivated fallow with Rati sorghum as test crop. The runoff, soil loss and yield of rabi sorghum as influenced by these treatments was studied. The studies revealed that the conservation practice factor (P) was minimum (0.192) in vegetative barrier followed by tied ridges (0.316) and ridges and furrows (0.437). The vegetative barrier treatment was found more effective in reducing runoff by 75.77 per cent and soil loss by 80.77 per cent when compared with cultivated fallow plot. The minimum runoff and soil loss was observed in vegetative barrier. The percent reduction in runoff was 57.99 in vegetative barrier, 43.31 in tied ridges and 33.05 in ridges and furrows when compared to cultivated fallow. More grain yield was obtained in vegetative barrier (6.20 q/ha) followed by tied ridges (5.68 q/ha) and ridges and furrows (4.41 q/ha). The values of average fodder yield showed the similar trend.